VAntage Point
Faces of InnoVAtion: Kwynn Mason and Emily Hood
Two partners in innovation are changing how Veterans approach food
Face of InnoVAtion
is a regular series from the VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) focusing on VA employees who are working to change and save Veteran lives through innovation. This month meet Emily Hood, RDN, LDN, certified intuitive eating counselor, from the Memphis VA Medical Center; and Kwynn Mason MPH, RDN, LDN, CLS (Certified Lactation Specialist), from the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System.
Emily Hood and Kwynn Mason may work at separate VA facilities, but they both saw the same issue: Veterans do not have a good relationship with food. The two registered dietitians came to VA to improve the diets of the Veterans they had always admired, but often they would find that a Veteran’s relationship with food was based around dieting and guilt instead of healthy attitudes. Engaging with Veterans and hearing their personal stories was a privilege tha